An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a charger, a detection unit, and a determination unit. The charger charges the photoconductor. The detection unit detects an actual charging potential of the photoconductor after the photoconductor is charged by the charger. The determination unit determines one of a plurality of causes related to a charging abnormality of the photoconductor based on a relationship between a standard charging potential of the photoconductor to be obtained by charging by the charger and a charging potential detected by the detection unit.

A post-processing apparatus includes a conveyance unit, a discharge port, a tray, an elevation unit, a detection unit, and a control unit. The conveyance unit conveys a print medium supplied from an image forming apparatus. The discharge port discharges the print medium conveyed by the conveyance unit. The tray is stacked with the print medium discharged from the discharge port and can be raised and lowered in a vertical direction. The elevation unit raises and lower the tray in the vertical direction. The detection unit detects a top surface of an uppermost print medium of one or more sheets of print media stacked on the tray. The control unit controls the conveyance unit and the elevation unit and hold a relative position of the top surface with respect to the discharge port if the print medium is discharged from the discharge port at a first position. The control unit causes the conveyance unit to convey the print medium at a first speed if a discharge time from a first timing indicating the timing relating to discharge of the print medium from the discharge port to a second timing indicating the timing when the print medium is detected by the detection unit is a first time and causes the conveyance unit to convey the print medium at a second speed different from the first speed if the discharge time is a second time.

An image forming device, including: a drawer movable from an inside position where the drawer is located inside a housing to an outside position where the drawer is located outside the housing via an intermediate position; a stopper movable between a first position where the stopper stops the drawer from moving from the intermediate position to the outside position and a second position where the stopper allows the drawer to move from the intermediate position to the outside position; a drum cartridge mountable on the drawer; and a toner cartridge mountable on the drawer; wherein the toner cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the intermediate position, and wherein the drum cartridge mounted on the drawer is detachable from the drawer in a state in which the drawer is located at the outside position.

A security-enhanced document includes a substrate and variable indicia comprising ink having a signal. The variable indicia is of a specific type and is applied to the substrate using a specific application technique. At least one other printed portion, which is a back of the document, has background ink noise, and the type of ink of the back of the document is of the same type of ink applied to the substrate using the same application technique as the ink of the variable indicia. The document also includes a scratch-off-coating applied over the variable indicia. The document has a signal-to-noise ratio of the ink of the variable indicia relative to the background ink noise of the back of the document that is not appreciable, thereby making the variable indicia unreadable with reference to the back of the document when the scratch-off-coating remains intact.

A security-enhanced document includes a substrate and variable indicia comprising ink having a signal. The variable indicia is of a specific type and is applied to the substrate using a specific application technique. At least one other printed portion, which is a back of the document, has background ink noise, and the type of ink of the back of the document is of the same type of ink applied to the substrate using the same application technique as the ink of the variable indicia. The document also includes a scratch-off-coating applied over the variable indicia. The document has a signal-to-noise ratio of the ink of the variable indicia relative to the background ink noise of the back of the document that is not appreciable, thereby making the variable indicia unreadable with reference to the back of the document when the scratch-off-coating remains intact.

A process cartridge is provided. The process cartridge is detachably mounted in an image formation apparatus configured with a power output unit that is swingable, an outer circumference of the power output unit contains a recessed portion. The process cartridge includes: a power receiving unit, comprising a wheel hub and a power receiving member connected with the wheel hub, the power receiving member being engaged with the power output unit to receive a driving force; where the wheel hub comprises a hollow cylinder portion accommodating the power output unit; where the power receiving member includes a fixing protrusion, the fixing protrusion is engaged with the recessed portion of the power output unit to receive the driving force; where the power receiving unit further comprises a bias part, the bias part applies a bias force to drive the power output unit to move to engage with the fixing protrusion.

Provided are a counting assembly and a developing box. The counting assembly comprises a counting member for attaching to and detaching from an external counted member; the counting member comprises a rotating member and a toggling member, the rotating member receives driving force from outside to rotate and the toggling member is driven to rotate; the counting assembly further comprises a holding member in contact with the rotating and toggling members. During counting, the rotating member applies a discontinuous acting force to the toggling member through the holding member; when applied with the acting force, the toggling member is kept by the holding member at a static position where the counted member is continuously pressed; when not applied with the acting force, the toggling member rotates under the action of the counter force of the counted member along a direction opposite to the rotating direction of the rotating member.

An image forming apparatus includes an image processor configured to convert image data based on a first conversion condition; an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet based on the image data converted by the image processor, the image forming unit having an image bearing member on which the image is to be formed, a transfer unit configured to transfer the image from the image bearing member onto the sheet, and a fixing unit configured to fix the image to the sheet; a conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet having the image fixed thereto; a reading unit configured to read a pattern image on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance roller; and a detector configured to detect a pattern image on the image bearing member.

An image forming apparatus includes: a casing having an opening; a cover for opening and closing the opening; a cartridge attachable to the casing through the opening; and a controller. The casing includes a first memory. The cartridge includes a second memory storing consumption state information representing a consumption state of the cartridge. The controller performs: determining whether the cartridge attached to the casing is unused; storing, when the attached cartridge is unused, the consumption state information acquired from the second memory in the first memory; determining, when the image forming apparatus is powered on or the cover is closed, whether the consumption state information in the first memory and the consumption state information in the second memory match; permitting use of the cartridge when the two sets of consumption state information match; and prohibiting use of the cartridge when the two set of consumption state information does not match.

An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming unit, a fuser including a heater, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the fuser, and a controller. The controller exercises a standby control that includes repeating a control cycle, measuring a temperature fluctuation period that is a time period from start of energizing the heater to an end of the control cycle, and setting an energization amount for a next control cycle, based on the measured temperature fluctuation period. The control cycle includes energizing the heater with an energization amount during a preset heating period when the detection temperature has dropped to a temperature below the target standby temperature, and waiting until the detection temperature drops to the target standby temperature in a case where the detection temperature has risen to a temperature equal to or above the target standby temperature after the preset heating period has elapsed.